Antioxidant Supplements

Unlike macro-minerals such as calcium, which the body needs in gram amounts, trace minerals such as iron, selenium, zinc, silicon, chromium, sulfur, and copper are only needed in milligram or micrograms.  However, these small quantities do not reflect the importance of trace minerals, as inadequate intake can have huge effects on the body. Lets discuss a few of these trace minerals.

Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency worldwide, with 20 to 50 percent of people affected.  The average body contains only one teaspoon of iron, but this mineral is crucial in oxygen transportation throughout the bloodstream and into cells.  A lack of iron will starve the body of oxygen and energy, which cause the symptoms of iron deficiency to be fatigue, foggy thinking, irritability, headaches, and lethargy. 

The immune system is frequently overworked when the days get shorter and the temperature starts to drop, and elderberry can boost the immune system in winter for those that find themselves susceptible to all the colds, flu and other viral infections that seem to come out of the woodwork at that time.

Elderberry is the fruit of the elder tree that is native to Asia, Europe and North America.  They are found just about anywhere due to their tolerance for a wide range of climates and soil types, and are frequently found by river banks. There are a number of different types of elder, in both small tree and shrub form, and it is those with the black and blue berries that are useful medicinally, not those with red berries.  It is not only the berries that are used, but also the elder flowers. Elderflower wine has long been a favorite country wine, and the berries are used to make jam, pies and also drunk as juice.

Dandelion root has been used since time immemorial for the treatment of a wide variety of disorders, and the first written records of its use are from the 10th century writings of Arabian physicians. It was certainly regarded as more than a common weed in mediaeval times when medicines as we know them did not exist.

However, mediaeval remedies usually had a scientific basis because they generally worked, especially the herbal remedies.  For example, using willow bark for pain and reducing swelling. It was only later that willow was found to contain salicylic acid, the basis of aspirin. So it is with dandelion, and its use for blood and liver problems, as a diuretic, and to help with kidney disorders including kidney stones.

Dandelion Root and the Liver

Quadrillions of reactive oxygen species bombard our bodies each day to produce harmful effects in the body including aging and cell death. Extensive research found that the reactive species can be controlled by antioxidants found in numerous plants and fruits. One of the fruits rich in antioxidants is the acai berry, a berry found in the bushes of Brazil. This berry was found to have antioxidant contents twice to that of blueberries. Because a cup of blueberries contains as much as 13,000 antioxidants, then doing some calculations would show the antioxidant content of one cup of acai berries to be more than 26,000. So what are acai antioxidants?